two year gap on CV

LegacyUser

Did college, worked full-time and last place for over four years, professional job.
I'm a lad by the way.


But I burned out, the place was so short staffed and lots of people quitting and I was struggling to cope. 14 hour days and roaring team leaders. Responsible for sums of money that would make my head spin, one feck up could cost thousands.
Ridiculous workloads, some staff ranted, some got upset, I just bottled stuff up.

Losing sleep, drinking alcohol every evening to unwind.
Knot in my stomach on the morning bus, nearly broke into tears on Dublin Bus home one day
I saw a GP for a chat which helped

Told the boss my concerns but got nowhere realy, was told I was good worker.
And then even more staff left and they would not hire anyone

I quit about two months later, told everyone I was heading traveling
I think I left on good terms, they let me pick my leaving date, going away card, speech, all that jazz.


I know "lucky to have a job" but sorry, I hung on longer then pretty much anyone but I had to leave. Was almost suicidal.
Maybe you could call me weak but I did my very best. Maybe I should have pushed through it but I was struggling to leave the house some days
I worked at home, I've worked part-time all through college and I worked after college, I wasn't a slacker


My mental health wasn't the best and my confidence was in shreds
And that's it realy, I didn't do a whole lot for the next few months, struggling to leave the flat some days and struggling to pull myself together. I don't know enough about depression to confirm if I had it, felt depressed anyway

Soon enough I moved back home and helped out on the dads farm which I enjoyed, he's quite elderly and I can do a lot of the work


I'm feeling a lot better now, am the fittest I've ever been and want to get back working and get my life on track


Now I know the unemployment but my sector is sort of alright and I'm fairly confident I'll land a job, anything would do. I'll take anything, entry-level will do, I know the score and I'm not holding out for some top paying job


But how do I explain 2 years?

opinion guy

The 2 years is easy to explain.

Your dad was running the farm on his own, he's elderly and not able to work as he used to be. He needed you. So you were a dutiful son and worked the farm for two years.

Noone will question that. If someone asks why you were then leaving the farm again you say your brother took over (or if you dont' have a brother your dad hired a local guy) and you felt you needed to get back to the workforce. Simples.


The real question here is - are you really sure that you want to go back to an industry that burns through people and left you in that state ? You have won yourself back literally through hard labour. Tread carefully before reentering the cauldron.

Motley Crue

I think this is easy to explain, and actually doesn't need much of an explanation, you worked as a Farm Hand in your Dad's family business - think of all the new skills you earned working on the Farm, maybe helping with the accounts, managing the orders etc....I think you have little to worry about, you're sorted

Good luck

LegacyUser

Your dad needed you, end of OP. My dad passed away suddenly and it really shock my mum badly so I ended up having to move home to look after her. Took nearly two years before she was able to cope and I could get back to my own life. Moved to the other side of the country and at my first job interview I had they didn't ask but I brought it up straight away, said family needed me and that's why there was a gap. They must have been fine with that as I got the job and 3 years later still working there.